Display device

ABSTRACT

A display device has a forwardly-protruding portion extending forwardly (and optionally, upwardly or downwardly) from the device; a U-shaped support portion connected to each end of the forward-protruding portion; and vertical connection sections connecting each of the U-shaped support portions to a rearwardly directed support arm connected to the respective vertical connection section. The U-shaped support portion is shaped to abut a first horizontal surface of a shelf, the vertical connection section is shaped to abut a front vertical surface of the shelf, and the rearwardly directed support arm is shaped to abut a second horizontal surface of the shelf, such that the U-shaped support portion, the vertical connection section, and the rearwardly directed support arm abut their respective surfaces of the shelf so as to slidably mount the display device onto the shelf with the forwardly-protruding portion extending forwardly of the front surface of the shelf.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Priority is claimed to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.61/733,270, filed on Dec. 4, 2012, and the contents of said ApplicationSer. No. 61/733,270 are hereby incorporated by reference herein in theirentirety.

The present invention is a display device or system useful in hangingdecorative items, such as Christmas ornaments, photographs or similardecorative items.

In particular, the display device of the present invention is designedto be slidably mounted on a generally horizontal shelf or surface orbookshelf. Once mounted a protruding portion of the display deviceextends forwardly of the front edge of the shelf so that ornamentalobjects can be easily hung for display, as described in greater detailhereinafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a display device having a forwardly-protruding portionhaving an arcuate shape extending forwardly from the device; a U-shapedsupport portion connected to each end of the forwardly-protrudingportion; and vertical connection sections connecting each one of theU-shaped support portions to a rearwardly directed support arm connectedto the respective vertical connection section. Alternatively, instead ofor in addition to an arcuate shape, the forwardly-protruding portion canhaving an upwardly extending shape, having a pair of upwardly-extendingarms connected to a center horizontal segment, providing a horizontalcenter arm for holding objects. The U-shaped support portion is shapedand adapted to abut a first horizontal surface of a shelf, while thevertical connection section is shaped and adapted to abut a frontvertical surface of the shelf, and the rearwardly directed support armis shaped and adapted to abut a second horizontal surface of the shelf.In this manner, the device is configured such that the U-shaped supportportion, the vertical connection section, and the rearwardly directedsupport arm each abut their respective surfaces of the shelf, so as toslidably mount the display device onto the shelf with theforwardly-protruding portion extending forwardly of the front surface ofthe shelf. The display device can preferably be formed of one contiguouspiece of metal or wire. The metal or wire piece can preferably be formedin a shape having a generally circular cross section. The exteriorsurface of the piece of metal or wire can be treated in preferredfashions to provide a smooth, durable, attractive, decorative, and/orcorrosion-free surface on the metal or wire, using surface treatmentssuch as zinc coating, chrome plating, painting, or powder-coating. Thedisplay device preferably includes a cap, made of vinyl or rubber oranother resin, mounted on the rear end of the rearwardly directedsupport arm, providing additional protection against slipping, andproviding a barrier to keep the ends of the each of the arms fromscratching or marring the surface of a shelf to which the device ismounted.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the display devicecontemplated by the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the embodiment of the display device shownin FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the display device shown in FIG.2.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the display device of FIG. 1installed on a bookshelf showing a plurality of Christmas ball ornamentshanging from the display device.

FIG. 6 is another view of the display device showing a plurality ofspherical Christmas style ornaments hanging from the device, which ismounted onto a bookshelf; and

FIG. 7 is another view of the display device mounted on a bookshelf witha plurality of Christmas ornaments attached to the device along thearcuate forwardly extending portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The display device, generally designated 10 in FIG. 1, is a bent wireappliance preferably made from one contiguous piece of wire or metalalthough other materials could also be used. The device 10 has anarcuate or bowed forward protruding portion 14 and a pair of U-shapedsupports 16 on either end thereof. In FIG. 1, the U-shaped supports eachterminate in a short vertical section 18 and a generally elongated,rearwardly directed support arm 20, preferably above one arm of theU-shaped support 16. The portions 20 are preferably finished with avinyl or rubber cap for protection and for stability as will bedescribed in detail below.

The vertical portion 18 is preferably designed to be an inch or more inlength so that it can permit the display device 10 to be simply slidonto a bookshelf to support the display device thereon. Preferably theU-shaped support members 16 are about eight inches in depth and thearcuate or bowed portion 14 gently arches to a point three or fourinches forwardly of the bookshelf, when the display device 10 isappropriately mounted by sliding the device in a backwards directiontoward the rear of the shelf. The display device 10 can be fabricated ofvarying gauge rigid wire requiring only six to eight bends in the wireto form the finished display device 10. In practice, the device may bezinc coated, chrome plated, painted, or powder-coated, and is generallycircular in cross section. FIG. 3 shows another view of the displaydevice shown in FIG. 1.

An alternative embodiment of the display device is shown in FIG. 2 ingenerally designated 30. In this embodiment the display device is againfabricated in varying gauge, rigid wire. FIG. 2 is a generally smallerversion being approximately three to four inches in width. The forwardlyextending bow portion of the previous embodiment is replaced with arelatively short horizontal portion 32 which extends upwardly by a pairof arms 34 connected to a similar pair of generally U-shaped mountingelements 36 similar to the elements 16 in the previous embodiment. Eachof the U-shaped supports again terminate in a vertical arm 38 and arearwardly directed support arm 40 which terminates in a vinyl or rubbercap 22. The rubber caps on both embodiments lend stability throughfriction along the shelf, helping to keep the device from sliding off ofthe shelf, or shifting to the left or right. In use, the display deviceof the embodiment in FIG. 1 can be seen supporting a plurality of itemssuch as Christmas ornaments or the like as shown in FIG. 5, 6 or 7 wherethe display device is slidingly mounted on the shelf with the arcuate orbowed portion extending forwardly thereof to support the ornaments in afanciful hanging design.

The display device of the section embodiment as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4is intended for slightly different purposes. Again, they can be easilymounted on a shelf or other flat open surface and the forwardlyextending portion 32 extends forwardly of the support shelf or surface.In this smaller version as shown in FIG. 2, the additional rigiditypermits the use of the display device to hang items of substantiallysignificantly more weight such as a picture frame, clock or otherdecorative item. Additional rigidity can be gained preferably by formingthe device by using a heavier gauge of wire having a larger crosssectional area.

In both embodiments as can be seen, portions of the bent wire appliancewhen inserted onto a shelf will have portions of the wire resting aboveand below the shelf. It can also be seen that the display device isreversible in that the rubber tip end portions for example, can be onthe topside or the bottomside of the shelf as desired. A unique benefitprovided by the claimed design is found in the reversible nature of thedisplay device to allow for maximum flexibility positioning displayeditems on the device, in accord with their relative size or weight, or toachieve a particular design effect by maximum flexibility in positioningthe items.

Another unique benefit is found the compact vertical and horizontalprofile of the device when mounted. When mounted, the device allows theshelf to still be used for holding items on the shelf, such as books.This is because the U-shaped support portions and the arms remainclosely abutted to the horizontal surfaces of the shelf. Thus, books andother items can still be placed on the top of the shelf, including overtop of the U-shaped support portion or the arms, because the devicetakes up very little space above the shelf; the device extends into thespace above the shelf only by the width of the diameter of the wire fromwhich the device is formed. Also, the compact profile means the devicedoes not interfere with placement of items on a shelf below the shelfupon which the device is mounted; again, the device extends into thespace below the shelf only by the width of the diameter of the wire.

In most applications of the first embodiment where a plurality ofhanging ornaments are attached to the forwardly bowing arcuate section,it is generally mounted with the rubber tipped portions on the top ofthe shelf.

The foregoing detailed description of the present invention is given forclearness of understanding only, as many modifications would be obviousto those skilled in the art.

1. A display device, comprising: a forwardly-protruding portion havingan arcuate shape extending forwardly from the device; a U-shaped supportportion connected to each end of the forwardly-protruding portion; andvertical connection sections connecting each one of the U-shaped supportportions to a rearwardly directed support arm connected to therespective vertical connection section, wherein the U-shaped supportportion is shaped and adapted to abut a first horizontal surface of ashelf, the vertical connection section is shaped and adapted to abut afront vertical surface of the shelf, and the rearwardly directed supportarm is shaped and adapted to abut a second horizontal surface of theshelf, such that the U-shaped support portion, the vertical connectionsection, and the rearwardly directed support arm abut their respectivesurfaces of the shelf so as to slidably mount the display device ontothe shelf with the forwardly-protruding portion extending forwardly ofthe front surface of the shelf.
 2. The display device according to claim1, wherein the display device is formed of one contiguous piece of metalor wire.
 3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein the pieceof metal or wire is formed in a shape having a generally circular crosssection.
 4. The display device according to claim 2, wherein an exteriorsurface of the piece of metal or wire is zinc coated.
 5. The displaydevice according to claim 2, wherein an exterior surface of the piece ofmetal or wire is chrome plated.
 6. The display device according to claim2, wherein an exterior surface of the piece of metal or wire is paintedor powder-coated.
 7. The display device according to claim 1, furthercomprising a vinyl or rubber cap mounted on a rear end of the rearwardlydirected support arm.
 8. The display device according to claim 2,further comprising a vinyl or rubber cap mounted on a rear end of therearwardly directed support arm.
 9. The display device according toclaim 6, wherein the piece of metal or wire is formed in a shape havinga generally circular cross section, and the device further comprises avinyl or rubber cap mounted on a rear end of the rearwardly directedsupport arm.
 10. A display device, comprising: a forwardly-protrudingportion having a pair of upwardly-extending arms connected to a centerhorizontal segment; a U-shaped support portion connected to each end ofthe forwardly-protruding portion; and vertical connection sectionsconnecting each one of the U-shaped support portions to a rearwardlydirected support arm connected to the respective vertical connectionsection, wherein the U-shaped support portion is shaped and adapted toabut a first horizontal surface of a shelf, the vertical connectionsection is shaped and adapted to abut a front vertical surface of theshelf, and the rearwardly directed support arm is shaped and adapted toabut a second horizontal surface of the shelf, such that the U-shapedsupport portion, the vertical connection section, and the rearwardlydirected support arm abut the respective surfaces of the shelf so as toslidably mount the display device onto the shelf with theforwardly-protruding portion extending forwardly of the front surface ofthe shelf.
 11. The display device according to claim 10, wherein thedisplay device is formed of one contiguous piece of metal or wire. 12.The display device according to claim 11, wherein the piece of metal orwire is formed in a shape having a generally circular cross section. 13.The display device according to claim 11, wherein an exterior surface ofthe piece of metal or wire is zinc coated.
 14. The display deviceaccording to claim 11, wherein an exterior surface of the piece of metalor wire is chrome plated.
 15. The display device according to claim 11,wherein an exterior surface of the piece of metal or wire is painted orpowder-coated.
 16. The display device according to claim 10, furthercomprising a vinyl or rubber cap mounted on a rear end of the rearwardlydirected support arm.
 17. The display device according to claim 11,further comprising a vinyl or rubber cap mounted on a rear end of therearwardly directed support arm.
 18. The display device according toclaim 15, wherein the piece of metal or wire is formed in a shape havinga generally circular cross section, and the device further comprises avinyl or rubber cap mounted on a rear end of the rearwardly directedsupport arm.